Reduced mobility assistance for flights to/from the U.S.

airberlin offers passengers with reduced mobility a range of additional services to make air travel as pleasant as possible. We have assembled the most important items of information for you here. If you have any further queries, please contact our Service Center ».

Registration

To ensure that we can make the best possible preparations for you, please let us know what assistance you require, preferably when you book your flight. Generally passengers with disabilities do not need to provide any advance notice to airberlin. However, in certain instances in order to offer the passenger the proper care and assistance, airberlin requires advance notice as follows:

48 hours advanced notice for use of a respirator, ventilator, POC or CPAP.

48 hours advance notice for carriage of an incubator.

48 hours advance notice for passengers traveling on a stretcher

48 hours advance notice for the transportation of an emotional support or psychiatric service animal in the cabin.

48 hours advance notice for the transportation of a service animal on flight taking 8 hours or more.

48 hours advance notice for the transportation of a passenger with both severe vision and hearing impairments.

Although it is not required, if you choose to register in advance, airberlin will be able to maximize the assistance we can provide you. If you choose to register, please provide:

Name of passengers and travel companion, if applicable

(Number of your pass for persons with a disability)

Description of how disability impacts you

Description of how requested accommodation assists with your disability

Escort at the departure and destination airport

airberlin offers passengers requiring assistance a free escort service at both the departure and destination airports. Wheelchairs can be provided free of charge for passengers with a disability for the transfer to and from the aircraft as well as in making connections. Although no advance notice is required, to ensure the most efficient service to you possible, we recommend that you contact us in advance and let us know how much assistance you will require.

To find out about special offers at airports for passengers with reduced mobility (e.g. parking spaces for persons with a disability) please refer to our Airport Information » or go to the websites of the relevant airports.

Carriage of the wheelchair

Passengers’ own wheelchairs are carried free of charge and in addition to the free baggage allowance. If you are enquiring about transportation of a wheelchair, please let us know the measurements, weight and the type of the wheelchair in question.

You can also check in your sports or racing wheelchair free of charge as sports baggage.

Important - please noteIf your wheelchair is battery-driven, please note the following information for the various types of battery:

airberlin will not transport a damaged or leaking battery.

When it is necessary to detach the battery from the wheelchair, airberlin, upon request, will provide packaging for the battery and package the battery. airberlin will refuse to use packaging materials or devices other than those normally used for this purpose.

For safety reasons different criteria apply to wheelchairs or other battery-operated mobility aids with wet cell batteries. Please contact our Service Center » well in advance for information about the applicable regulations.

Travelling with a Safety Assistant

For flights to and from the U.S., a safety assistant must accompany (1) a passenger traveling in a stretcher or incubator; (2) a passenger who, due to mental disability, is unable to comprehend or respond appropriately to safety instructions from carrier personnel; and (3) a passenger with a mobility impairment so severe that he or she cannot physically assist in their own evacuation from the aircraft. The safety assistant must be at least 16 years old, must not have reduced mobility and must not accompany any other passengers requiring assistance.

Carriage with a service dog

Passengers with a disability can of course take their service dog with them in the cabin, and this service is free of charge. The dog does not need to be placed in a pet carrier.

The passenger must carry all the documents required for the animal’s entry into and exit from the relevant countries (valid pet passport, vaccination and health certificates etc.).

Passengers traveling with a service dog must:(i) provide 48 hours advance notice to airberlin and must check-in 1 hour in advance for flights longer than 8 hours; and(ii) must provide documentation on such flights that the service dog will not need to relieve itself in-flight, or can do so in a hygienic manner.

If you plan on traveling with a respiratory assistance device such as a respirator, ventilator, Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC), or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, we encourage you to contact a reservations agent well in advance of your flight. Please note, passengers may be required to provide enough batteries to power the device for at least 150% of the maximum flight duration and in some cases, the number of spare lithium ion batteries you can bring with you in the cabin may be limited for safety reasons.

Additional information

Reporting disability related problems via U.S. DOTComplaint Resolution Official (CRO)If you encounter problems during your travel with airberlin, please feel free to ask any crew member or ground staff for a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). Our CRO’s are specially trained in awareness and sensitivity as well as in all the applicable regulations and legislation. They will be happy to answer your questions. Our CRO’s are available during operating hours at all our U.S. Destinations, at Dusseldorf Airport and Berlin-Tegel Airport.If you would like to have access to a copy of US DOT 14 CFR Part 382, you can obtain it by any of the following methods:

Available for review upon request at any U.S. airport, at Dusseldorf Airport and Berlin-Tegel Airport.

Through calls made from within the United States, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travellers with Disabilities at 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY), the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202-366-2220 (voice) or 202-366-0511 (TTY),

By mail to the Air Consumer Protection Division, C-75, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Room W96-432, Washington, DC 20590, and